Poker variant options can leave you scratching your head

Friends of Scott Slinker play a game of poker at his office in San Jose, Calif., on April 13, 2016.

Friends of Scott Slinker play a game of poker at his office in San...

When it comes to creating a poker game variant, there’s no governing committee or organization that tells you what you can and cannot do. As long as the players are made aware of the rules, you can pretty much do whatever you like.

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The games that produced the most fun and action grew in popularity. Others either died or went unnoticed.

The World Series of Poker offers a tournament format where the dealer can choose any of 19 different poker variants, some that most players have never heard of. Here’s the one-sentence skinny on the offerings:

No-limit Hold ’Em: You know — that one variant that is everybody’s introduction to poker and typical mainstay in public rooms and kitchen tables.